Thin Glass for Touch Panel Sensors and Methods Therefor

Abstract

Improved techniques are disclosed for fabrication of touch panels using thin sheet glass, coupling external circuitry, and securely holding the touch panel within a portable electronic device. The thin sheet glass may be chemically strengthened and laser scribed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 351,835, filed Jun. 4, 2010, and entitled “Glass and Module Method and Process”, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This relates generally to the fabrication using thin sheets of substrate material, and more particularly, to the fabrication using thin sheet glass.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Early computer systems used command-line interfaces, wherein users typed commands to perform specific tasks. While this was well adapted to the use of teletype machines or video display terminals wired to mainframe computers, more user friendly interfaces were desired. Use of a graphical user interface employing a computer mouse as a pointing device overcame many short comings of the command-line interface. However, considerations such as size and inconvenience of the computer mouse...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]As an apparatus, one embodiment includes at least a touch sensor panel comprising a chemically strengthened glass substrate having a thickness of substantially less than approximately one half millimeter. The embodiment can also include a first patterned thin film coupled to a first major surface of the glass substrate.

[0011]As an apparatus, another embodiment includes at least a thin touch sensor panel comprising a chemically strengthened glass substrate having a thickness of substantially less than approximately one half millimeter, and a first patterned thin film coupled to a first major surface of the glass substrate. T

Problems solved by technology

However, considerations such as size and inconvenience of the computer mouse become more burdensome as electronic devices become smaller and more portable.

Accordingly, glass touch panels can be more susceptible to damage, especially during fabrication and processing, if one attempts to make them thinner.

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